Rail vehicle having a sanitary unit

ABSTRACT

A rail vehicle has at least one sanitary unit in which a WC device with an outlet pipe is to be installed. A car-body-side waste water pipe connection for connecting to the outlet pipe is provided. An intermediate pipe element is attached to the sanitary unit such that one side of the intermediate pipe element is used for a connection to the outlet pipe and the other side is used for a connection to the waste water pipe.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to a rail vehicle having at least one sanitaryunit in which a WC device with an outlet pipe is to be installed andhaving a car-body-side waste water pipe connection for connecting to theoutlet pipe.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

When installing sanitary units, which are typically in the form ofcabins, it must be noted that tolerances during the installation thereofare very large and are very difficult to cope with. In particular, theconnection of the outlet pipe of a WC device to the car-body-side waterpipe connection is of concern here. In this context, the WC device isusually pre-mounted within the sanitary unit and therefore orientation,installation and connection takes up a large amount of time and possibleerrors cannot be ruled out during installation.

The installation is additionally made difficult by the fact that thewaste water pipe connection between the car-body-side waste water pipeconnection and the WC device is embodied in a detachable fashion.

In the prior art, the procedure adopted during installation is such thatthe waste water piping is firstly installed in the car body. Then, thesanitary units are positioned in the car in such a way that they arelocated at the correct position in the car body and at the same theoutlet pipe of the WC device adjoins the car-body-side waste waterpiping. This is a difficult undertaking due to various measurementtolerances. As soon as the connection between the outlet pipe of the WCdevice and the waste water pipe connection at the car body side isproduced, the sanitary units are mounted in the car body.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An object of the invention is to simplify the installation of sanitaryunits in car bodies of rail vehicles.

This object is achieved in that an intermediate pipe element is attachedto the sanitary unit side in such a way that one side of whichintermediate pipe element can be used for connection to the outlet pipeand the other side of which can be used for connection to the wastewater pipe.

Owing to the fact that the intermediate pipe element is permanentlyprovided on the sanitary unit, the following functions can be separatedfrom one another: one side of the intermediate pipe element serves forconnecting the WC device to the car-body-side waste water pipeconnection. The other side of the intermediate pipe element has thefunction of producing a connection to the car-body-side waste water pipeconnection. To this extent, the connection between the car-body-sidewaste water pipe connection and the outlet pipe of the WC device isproduced in two stages during installation, which is simpler to handle.

The outlet pipe of the WC device preferably protrudes through a wall inthe sanitary unit, and the intermediate pipe element is attached to anouter side of the sanitary unit.

The waste water pipe connection is advantageously connected to theintermediate pipe element via a flexible pipeline. Any tolerances withrespect to the position of the sanitary unit in the car body can becompensated by this flexible connection. This reduces the dependence ofthe connection of the WC device to the car-body-side waste water pipingon the position of the sanitary unit in the car body.

With respect to removal of the WC device, for example for maintenancepurposes and/or in order to replace it, it is advantageous if adetachable form of attachment is selected between the intermediate pipeelement and the WC device.

It is then possible, for maintenance purposes, to make the detachableconnection of the WC device independent of the connection to the wastewater piping. Furthermore, the same connection is defined “internally”,and can therefore be ensured and checked in advance, i.e. during thepre-installation of the sanitary unit.

The installation time for the sanitary unit can also be shortened if itis possible to concentrate on the orientation of the sanitary unit inthe car body, in which case it is not necessary also to simultaneouslypay attention to the position with respect to car-body-side piping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained in moredetail below with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a junction region between wastewater piping and a WC device which is installed in a sanitary unit, in afirst installation step,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a junction region between wastewater piping and a WC device, which is installed in a sanitary unit, ina second installation step, and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a junction region between wastewater piping and a WC device which is installed in a sanitary unit, witha WC device which has been removed for maintenance purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a WC device 1 which is, for example, already installed in acorner region of a sanitary unit 2, of which only a detail isillustrated here. The WC device 1 has an outlet pipe 3 which protrudesout of the sanitary unit 2 through an opening in the wall thereof, andis connected to an intermediate pipe element 5 using a sleeve 4.

The intermediate pipe element 5 is attached to an outer side of thesanitary unit 2 via a securing element 6, in a rigid embodiment in theexemplary embodiment which is presented. The intermediate pipe element 5is arranged, using the securing element 6, in such a position on theouter side of the sanitary unit 2 that when the WC device 1 is installedin the sanitary unit 2 a relatively simple connection can be producedbetween the outlet pipe 3 of the WC device and the facing end of theintermediate pipe 5.

Before a connection is produced between car-body-side waste water piping7 and the still free end of the intermediate pipe element 5, a WC device1 which has been completely installed within the sanitary unit 2 andconnected to the intermediate pipe element 5 is already available. Thissimplifies overall the installation of the sanitary unit within the carbody of a rail vehicle.

In order to connect the waste water piping 7 with connection 8 to theintermediate pipe element 5 a flexible rubber hose 9 is used, andtherefore any measurement tolerances during the installation of thesanitary unit 2 in the car body can be allowed for. In otherembodiments, said connection can also be produced by means of a solidpipe element.

FIG. 2 then shows the finished connection between the car-body-sidewaste water piping 7 and the outlet pipe 3 of the WC device. The onlydifference compared to FIG. 1 is that the flexible hose 9 is nowconnected to the previously still free end of the intermediate pipeelement 5.

FIG. 3 corresponds essentially to the illustrations in FIGS. 1 and 2,but here the WC device has, for example, been taken out from itsassociated end of the intermediate pipe element 5 for maintenancepurposes. As a result, the connection between the intermediate pipeelement 5 and the waste water piping 7 remains unchanged, and removaland installation of the WC device 1 can therefore be handled easily.

1-4. (canceled)
 5. A rail vehicle, comprising: a sanitary unit forinstalling a WC device with an outlet pipe; a waste water pipeconnection for connecting to the outlet pipe of the WC device; and anintermediate pipe element attached to the sanitary unit such that afirst side of the intermediate pipe element is used for a connection tothe outlet pipe and a second side of the intermediate pipe is used for aconnection to the waste water pipe.
 6. The rail vehicle as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the outlet pipe protrudes through a wall in thesanitary unit, and the intermediate pipe element is attached to an outerside of the sanitary unit.
 7. The rail vehicle as claimed in claim 5,wherein the waste water pipe connection is connected to the intermediatepipe element via a flexible pipeline.
 8. The rail vehicle as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the waste water pipe connection is connected to theintermediate pipe element via a flexible pipeline.
 9. The rail vehicleas claimed in claim 5, wherein the intermediate pipe element isdetachably attached to the outlet pipe of the WC device.
 10. The railvehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the intermediate pipe element isdetachably attached to the outlet pipe of the WC device.
 11. The railvehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the intermediate pipe element isdetachably attached to the outlet pipe of the WC device.
 12. The railvehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the intermediate pipe element isdetachably attached to the outlet pipe of the WC device.